A university campus catering for 8,000 students is to be built in Swindon.

The campus, part of the University of Bath, will be built on a greenfield site near the new Great Western Hospital.

The Minister for Lifelong Learning Margaret Hodge gave the plans, first revealed in December 2002, the go-ahead on Tuesday.

No date has yet been set for work to start on the project, which will be next to a science park in the Wiltshire town.

Cutting edge

Vice-chancellor of the University of Bath Professor Glynis Breakwell said: "As one of the country's top universities we want to build a major campus which will serve local, national and overseas students.

"This will be no average campus - we are planning cutting edge activity here - we will build the learning environment around the student."

Professor Breakwell said the greenfield site had been chosen after no other suitable site could be found.

The campus is part of a development by a consortium including Persimmon Homes and Redrow.

It complements the university's existing campus for 3,500 local and regional students at Walcot in Swindon.